I walked forward towards the guards standing at the gate. A wicked smile crept across my face.
"Hold it right there," a guard shouted. "No sudden moves, or I'll cut you down." His hand on his long sword at his waist.
I stop my advance, look at the both and raise my hands to each of them. They begin to draw their swords, but are stopped by and unknown force. A cold sweat drips down their face struggling to move even the slightest fraction of an inch. They feel it. The hair on their arms and back of their necks stand at attention. Fear. They now realize they made a colossal mistake.
I start to wiggle my fingers and they begin to move like broken marionettes. Movements jagged, unrefined, forced. They let go of their swords, then are forced to their knees.
I look at the guard on the right. A notification appeared before me. No crimes. Then I look to the guard on the left. Another notification appeared. Taking Bribes. Theft. Assault. Sexual assault.
Hmm. I raise my hand and snap my fingers. The blood began to rush to the guards head. So fast and violent you could see it beneath the skin. His face turned completely red, his features bubbling, then POP. His head blew up creating a nice fountain of blood and brain matter.
Ding.
Ding.
Ding.
I ignored the notifications. Pushing them away. Silent mode. The notifications stopped. I turned my head to the guard to the right.
He was sweating profusely at this point. Sweat dripping from the bridge of his nose down to the marble underneath. Fear was consuming his very core. Every fiber of his being was telling him to run, but he couldn't. He couldn't lift a finger. A pool of urine was forming beneath him.
"Relax, I don't want to kill you," I said in the most comforting way possible. It still sounded threatening though. "Here's what's going to happen so I don't have to kill you."
I let my words linger for a moment. I put my hand on his shoulder. " You're going to open the gate and you're not going to do anything else. Not run. Not scream. Not call for help. No alarms. Nothing."
I paused again. "You do anything other than what I tell you to do, you die. Talk. You die. Run. You die. Breathe funny. You die. Got it?" The guard hesitated for a moment, not out defiance, but more like he was taking each and every word and ingraining into his soul. Then he nodded in affirmation.
A sadistic smile crept over my face taking a slight pleasure in his fear. "Good. If you do exactly what your told I'll reward you later. Ok? Maybe something nice for that little sister of yours," I said in equal parts threat equal parts reward. "Now, open the gate."
The guard once again shook in fear causing him to hesitate again, but ultimately he complied. I snap my my fingers and he was realsed from his hold. He stood up and moved around some symbols on an magic formation that controlled the gate.
A low rumbling sound came from the gate, then it started to creak. The gate lifted itself from the ground. Opening just enough for us to walk under.
I pressed forward ducking slightly under the gate and Eliza followed. We slowly walked forward, once again taking in a new sight.
The road was no longer marble, but solid gold and silver slabs. Pure unblemished untarnished silver and gold. Pillars of gold and silver were standing tall along the sides of the road. With intricate carvings of dragons breathing the hottest flames and soaring through the highest skies. A sad reminder of what dragons used to be.
The gardens to the sides were serene filled with only the most vibrant pure colors. Only primary colors. Reds. Blues. Yellows. So on and so forwardth.
Each step taken felt like a step only for the powerful and wealthy. Like only rulers may walk these roads. And every step I took felt like a step on the blood, sweat and tears of every citizen of this country.
While their citizens starved, they were walking on roads paved with literal gold. Each one of these slabs could house and feed the average family for a century, yet here they are walking on it, like they were gods who owned the world.
Anger boiled beneath my very skin once again. No more walking and trying to do this delicately. No. These people will now know my wrath.
We walked up towards the castle doors. Once again two guards standing in front. "Hey, how did you get in here?" One of the guards said.
I didn't answer I just held up my hand and snapped my fingers. Blood rushed to their heads fast and violent. Pop. Pop. Blood erupted into a fountain and brain matter splattered across the door.
I walked up to the heavy marble doors with a silver trim and golden handles. I pushed them open with ease and walked in.
I was no longer interested in taking in the scenery. My eyes were blurred with unadulterated rage. "Take me to him. Now!," I ordered venom dripping from my words.
She gave a slight bow. "As you wish," she said without hesitation.
We quickly walked through the halls. A guard stood at his post. A notification popped up. No crimes. I lifted my hand hand and squeezed slightly. His heart stopped for a few seconds making him convulse, causing him to pass out. I relaxed my fingers and dropped my hand back to my side.
After walking for a bit again we arrived once again at two large doors with two guards stationed outside.
A notification popped up again. NO CRIMES. I raised my hand and cause the blood in their bodies to constrict their airways. After a few seconds of being unable to breathe, and grasping at an invisible force at their throats, they pass out from lack of air flow.
Eliza walked up to the marble doors and stopped. She turned to face me and said, "This is the entrance to the throne room. He should be inside, but I cannot guarantee."
"Why," I asked my anger already beyond it's boiling point.
"As you already know our king is one does not take his duties seriously. He'd rather lounge around all day basking in his wealth, than do any actual work. He'd rather leave that to his subordinates," she informed. Standing there with her eyes closed. Face calm and serene as if she had nothing to do with what's about to happen.
"He's not the only king we've had that acts like this though. He comes from a long line of kings. Atleast the past two generations before have been like this. As each generation passes it's torch the lives of our citizens have become worse and worse."
Her monotonous tone is starting to grate my ears. "Remember to remind me to give you a damn personality. So your nonchalant monotonous voice doesn't annoy the piss out of me," I said slightly louder than I intended.
"Understood."
Tsk. What kind of personality should I give her? Something she'll fucking hate preferably. Something that'll drive her more mad than she already is. Maybe something sweet and bubbly. Nah, I'd pop off my own head if I had to listen to that shit all damn day. Fuck it, I'll think about it later.
I take one last look at the intricate marble doors. This is it. No going back. I hestitate slightly as my hand touches the solid door. I close my eyes and memories resurface. Four years of pain and suffering leading to this moment. Rage bubbles back up. I grit my teeth and raise my foot for a kick.
My foot slams into the doors. The kick so powerful it pushes the doors open with such immense force that the doors fly off their hinges. The doors crash to the floor causing the marble floors beneath to break under their crushing weight. Dust then rises into the air causing a light smoke screen.
Heads snap and turn towards the entrance trying to see beyond the dust and debris. Silence filled the room. Everyone's breath caught. Startled at the scene.
When the dust settles all they could see were two figures standing on the broken marble doors. One calm and patient. The other standing tall and breathing violently with rage.
"Drakonos!!! Come out you filthy, flying, piece of dragon shit!" I yell venom now cascading from my every word. My words echoed off the walls.
The hall still silent. So silent a whisper would turn into a shout. No one knew what to do or say in this unprecedented situation.
After a moment of shock and fear, panic filled the room. People screamed and ran trying to escape.
"Intruder!!," they royal guards yelled. Dashing towards me at break neck pace. But they were too slow.
I raise me hands and twitched my fingers and everyone in the room stilled. Dozens of people frozen in place. All under my control. I walk casually towards the throne at the end of the large hall.
When I reached the throne I place my hand on its arm and feel the smooth golden texture. Once again, solid gold with the softest most comfortable velvet as it's cushion. Probably filled with the highest of quality feathers. Griffin, maybe.
I sat down in the throne like it always belonged to me. Crossed one leg over the other and placed my elbow on the arm of the throne. Placing my fist beneath my chin.
"Comfortable," I said with half hearted sigh. I raised my hands again and controlled my puppets. They moved towards the middle of the throne room, then turned to face me.
"Kneel," I ordered. I lowered my hand twitching my fingers. They all obeyed, or should I say their blood obeyed. All forcefully dropped down to one knee. Maids, servants, knights, guards, and nobles alike all bowing down to what looked like an arrogant teen on a power trip.
A smile once again crept along my face. "Where is Drakonos?" I asked my voice stern, powerful. Even more so with the resounding echo. As if the world was asking the very question.
No one answered. No one dared to speak. Some were shaking, trying to fight for control of their own bodies. Others shaking out of fear.
"I'll ask again, where is Drakonos? Your king. The man that is supposed to be sitting on this throne."
Once again no one spoke. My brows furrowed. "You. You are a knight of this castle are you not? Where is your king?" I pointed at a knight kneeling on the floor. Small horns adorned on his head. Covered from the shoulder down in silver armor trimmed with gold.
I forced him to look up. His body shook violently trying to break free of control. "I do not answer to you peasant. I only answer to one, and you are not him," he rebelled as his voice shook.
"That's unfortunate." I snapped my fingers and blood rushed to his head. Violently writhing beneath the skin. Pop. Blood sprayed into the air covering peasants and nobles alike. Brain matter splattered as well some of it landed on a noble woman's face. She whimpered, but tried her best to muffle it.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Let's try this again. You the noble woman with the brain matter on your face. Where is he?"
"I..I ..I don't ... Know my lord," she whimpered. Trying her best to stop shaking, to stop crying.
"Once again, unfortunate." I raised my hand to snap my fingers but just as I was about to...
"Wait," a voice called out urgent, unafraid, commanding. I stopped and looked toward the voice.
It was an older man looking to be in his forties. White streaks in his fiery red hair. Smoothed back. Prim proper not a hair out of place. A crimson goatee mixed with white. Eyes fiery red matching his hair. Moderately sized red horns at the top of his head. Tall, muscular built like a tank.
Wearing a golden armor with silver trim. Decorative not meant for war, but to show his high position. A general of the army. A commander of thousands.
The look in his fiery, red eyes was not the look of fear, but the look of acceptance. Acceptance of his fate even if it meant death.